


The Sitter

by silly_mortal



Category: Life Goes On (TV)
Genre: Adultery, Babies, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:27:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26909641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silly_mortal/pseuds/silly_mortal
Summary: Jerry is alone with Nicky for the first time.
Relationships: Libby Thacher/Jerry Berkson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	The Sitter

**Author's Note:**

> My Jibby Timeline:
> 
> The Conference  
> A Series of Questions  
> The Baby  
> The Sitter  
> The Trip  
> The Weekend  
> The Announcement  
> The Conversation  
> The Memories  
> Halloween With The Berksons  
> The Patient  
> 

“Libs, where ya been? I thought you’d be here an hour ago.” 

He greeted her with a quick kiss and ushered her through the door of his apartment.

“I was starting to get worried. Is everything ok?”

“Yes, everything’s fine. Take the baby, Jer.”

Jerry took Nicky’s carrier from her and watched as Libby set down her purse and Nicky’s diaper bag, before collapsing into a chair, with a sigh, and kicking off her shoes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve been looking out for you, so I could go down and help when you got here, but I went to the bathroom and must have just missed you.”

“Don’t worry about it, honey… What a morning! Corky forgot his math book at home, so I had to drive it by the school, which took _forever_ because I had to unpack the baby to take him inside with me and then pack him back up. And, right before I left the house, Drew had called and asked me to bring by some paperwork he was looking at light night. I told him to meet me at the curb, because I had to go to the doctor, but he wasn’t there and, after I _waited_ for 10 minutes, I had to park the car and unpack the baby again, then pack him back up. That made me late for my appointment, so I had to wait for the doctor to squeeze me in and I was there _forever_... Hey, what are those?”

Jerry glanced over to where Libby was staring. There was a large bouquet of sunflowers in a vase, sitting on one of the end tables, in the living room.

“I got you some flowers.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“Just because I love you. I couldn’t very well have them delivered to the house, after the whole hospital fiasco, so I had them sent here. I was hoping you’d be here to open the door yourself, but they came just before you got here.”

“Oh, Jerry, they’re beautiful!” she smiled. “Thank you.”

“Anything for my love… How’s our little muffin?” Jerry asked, gazing down at their brand new son, who was sound asleep in his carrier.

“He’s perfect in every way,” Libby smiled. 

“And the appointment? It was with _your_ doctor, right?” he asked, looking concerned. “Are you ok? Are you not feeling well? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. It was just my six-week postpartum check up - all women have one after having a baby. It’s just to check and make sure everything is working as it should be.”

“And _is_ everything?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“And… _down there_?” he asked, lowering his eyes to the area of her body to which he was referring. “Everything working as it should be?”

“ _She’s_ fine too,” Libby smirked. “And you know _quite well_ that everything’s already in working order down there. You already took her for her post-baby test drive yesterday.”

“Are you sure, Libs, because Dr. Berkson would be happy to give you a second opinion?”

Libby smirked.

“Maybe later, Dr. Berkson. Right now, I am entirely too tired for anything like that… especially for an _internal_ exam.”

“I didn’t say it would be internal. I just thought I’d take a look and see how things are progressing down there.”

“You took a look down there yesterday and she was fine then, too.”

“I’m just doing my duty, Libs… as your personal _love_ doctor.”

Libby shook her head at him, trying not to laugh.

“Has Drew been _down there_ yet?” Jerry asked, trying to sound casual.

“No, thank God... I’ve told you before, he hasn’t given me a second look since I cut my hair. If I had known that’s all it would take to get him to find me repulsive and leave me alone, I would have hacked it off years ago... I know you like it long, Jer,” she added. “But I may have to keep it short for awhile, to buy myself some peace.”

She had tried to sound casual, but Jerry noticed the searching look she gave him, trying to gauge his reaction but seeming fearful of what that reaction might be.

“Hey,” he leaned down, his face directly in front of hers. “I love your hair anyway you want to have it. What makes you happy makes me happy. You could walk in here looking like a cue ball and I still would think you’re the most beautiful woman to walk the face of the earth.”

She gave him a small smile, but didn’t look convinced.

“Are you sure, Jer? It’s just so much easier to deal with my hair shorter right now, when the baby takes so much of my time. It’s just one less thing to worry about.”

“Of course I’m sure. I fell in love with _you_ , not your hair.”

“But you used to say how much you loved my hair… You said it was sexy. I certainly remember how much you liked grabbing a fistful of it whenever we were in a certain... position,” she leered, teasingly.

Jerry smiled at the memory.

“It’s _still_ sexy and I _did_ like that…” he agreed. “However, you cutting it gave me the opportunity to realize that I could grab onto those great hips of yours instead, as well as focus on the view. I do love that your bare back…. and don’t get me started on that ass...”

Libby blushed and Jerry gave her a soft kiss. He stroked her cheek, before standing up.

“Are you hungry, Libs?” Jerry asked. “I was waiting for you before I ordered anything for lunch. I didn’t know what you’d feel like eating.”

“Anything that will deliver _quickly_. I’m starving.”

“Pizza?”

“Perfect.”

“Sweetie,” he said. “Why don’t lay down for a few minutes, while I call and wait for it to get here? You look exhausted.”

“Well, thanks, Jer,” she snorted. “You really know how to flatter a girl.”

“You’re stunning, but you seem like you’ve had a rough morning and could use some shut eye.”

“Actually,” she said, trying to stifle a yawn. “I would love to grab a few minutes, if that’s ok. I’m exhausted, starving and I smell like sour milk. I’d love nothing more than to sleep, eat and have a bath – in that order.”

“Then do it, Libs. And, for the record, you smell like heaven.”

“You even haven’t been close enough to smell me today, but thank you.”

“The second you wake up and have eaten, I’m gonna be _all_ over you.”

Libby chuckled.

“Thanks for the warning. Now, give me a kiss and then I’m going to lay down.”

Taking her hand, he helped her off the couch. Pulling her into his arms, he leaned her back and gave her a soft, sweet kiss. Libby smiled, lovingly, at him.

“Ok, I’m going to bed,” she said, giving him a pat on the butt. “I’ll see you in a few.”

“Alright, pretty girl,” he said, as he released her.

Jerry reached for the phone.

“Hey, what’re you doin’?” Jerry asked, when he noticed Libby bend to lift the carrier.

“Taking the baby with me.”

“Why? Just sleep and he can stay with me. I wanna spend some quality father/son time with him.”

Libby looked at him, uncertainly.

“Are you sure, Jer? You haven’t been alone with the baby yet.”

“What, you don’t trust me to watch him? He’s asleep in his carrier, Libs. It’s not like he’s gonna make a prison break the first time I turn my back.”

“Okay... but get me if he wakes up. He’s going to want to eat soon.”

“He’ll be fine. If he gets hungry, I’ll make him a steak. Now, get some sleep, Mama. I’ll wake you when the pizza gets here.”

“Ok, Papa. Take care of our boy,” she yawned, as she headed down the hall, towards the bedroom. 

“Consider it done.”

Once Libby was in the bedroom, Jerry picked up the phone and placed their standing pizza order – a large with pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, green peppers and extra cheese. He had them throw in an order of chicken wings and garlic bread, just in case. Ever since she had become pregnant, Libby was hungrier than usual and that had not curbed once she had given birth. 

The person who was taking the order told him it would take over an hour to arrive at his apartment and, while normally he would be irritated that there would be such a long delay in getting his beloved fed, he was relieved. The extra 30 minutes gave Libby a bit more of the rest that she was in such need of today.

Every day, under the guise of running errands, Libby had been coming to Jerry’s apartment, in order to give him the chance to visit with his newborn son. Due to trying to avoid her family finding out, it was always at odd times and for varying intervals. Jerry knew that it caused a lot of stress and that the visits were often surrounded by chaos, because of the never ending demands of her family. Two weeks ago, she hadn’t even been able to make it one day because, at the last minute, Corky decided to join her on her ‘errands’. 

While Libby knew Corky liked Jerry very much, she could hardly bring him to the house of her lover, whom she had been having an affair with for the past two years and was the father of the child everyone else assumed had been fathered by her husband… including her husband. 

Libby knew that, if Corky took one step into Jerry’s apartment, he would know that Jerry and his mother were more than boss and employee. 

Since they had begun their relationship, Jerry’s home had become _their_ home. The apartment was filled with little touches that would be recognizable to anyone who knew Libby – the soaps and cleaners she liked, appointments written in her handwriting on the calendar, pieces of clothing that Jerry had bought her scattered around. Of course, those types of things could be dismissed with them having similar taste in products or Libby being his assistant and having to drop by his home regularly. The nursery that was in Jerry’s spare bedroom, the one they had decorated for Nicky would be difficult to explain, but not impossible. After all, he could have a niece or nephew out there somewhere. However, the numerous photographs of the two of them, taken on their business trips or during their stolen moments together, which were framed and sitting around, would be impossible to explain. Anyone who saw these would know immediately that they were pictures of a couple – a couple who was very much in love. And there was one photo in particular, one which hung in Jerry’s bedroom, that would be a dead giveaway. 

Shortly before she’d discovered she was pregnant, Libby had driven two hours away to have a session with a boudoir photographer, as a gift for Jerry’s birthday. In addition to a well-thumbed book of photographs from the session, which Jerry kept on his bedside table, Libby had given him a portrait of herself, one which features her lying on her stomach in a mussed bed, clad only in a pair of black underwear and high heels. If anyone other than she and Jerry were to ever get a glimpse of that photo, Libby was certain that her marriage, and possibly even her life, would be over. That being said, both she and Jerry knew that it had been much better to have Jerry miss one visit with his son, than risk the exposure of their relationship.

Once Jerry hung up the phone, he straightened up the living room a bit, moving Libby’s shoes and depositing her bags somewhere else, so, when she woke up, she wouldn’t feel the need to immediately start cleaning.

Glancing down, he noticed a tiny pair of brown eyes looking up at him and his face lit up.

“Hey there, little man!” he exclaimed.

Immediately, he reached down to unbuckle the baby from the carrier, before hoisting him into his arms.

“How’s my big boy today?”

Nicky looked at him, silently.

Jerry took a seat on the couch, positioning the child in a way that they could look at each other. For a moment, the same way he did every time he saw his son, he took a few moments to just _enjoy_ him. He took his time inspecting the boy’s tiny features, which so closely resembled those of the woman he loved. He inhaled Nicky’s sweet, baby smell and relished the feel of his new, perfect skin.

“You are perfect, little one. Absolutely perfect.”

The child stared back at him with eyes that had the same expression his mother often had, as if they were waiting for him to say something that will make them angry. 

"Your mama says that you're a good baby, as far as babies go. I don't have any experience with babies, so I have to take her word for it, but you look pretty good to me.

“It’s me, Nicky. Your Papa. You look like you don’t remember me from yesterday and the day before that… I guess it’s cause I’m not that soft, sweet feeding machine, huh? Well, she in the other room, having a nap, so it’s just you and me right now, kid…

“You do remember me, don’t you, Nicky? I’m your daddy... Now, I know Mama’s married to that big clown you’ve probably seen bumbling around the house…. His name is Drew. Ugh. He’s gonna tell you he’s your daddy, but he’s not – I am. We just definitely can’t tell _him_ all that, so you’re gonna have to keep our secret from him. Can you do that, Nicky?

“Your mom and I are in love and have been for awhile. It’s all very complicated and we’ll have to explain it to you one day... The circumstances aren’t ideal, because of your mom being married to someone else. She isn’t able to leave him, for a lot of different reasons, and so we have to sneak around, in order to be together… It’s not the greatest situation, but I’d rather have it be this way than not be with her. 

“Mama and I haven’t decided how we’re going to do this whole thing yet. Right now, it’s not so bad because you don’t understand what’s happening. We can see each other and you won’t understand the dynamics, but one day you will and we’re afraid of that day. We’re afraid of the day you’re old enough that we’ll have to explain it to you, because we don’t want you to hate us. We know what we’re doing is wrong, but it’s our only choice right now. We’re afraid to hurt people, but your mother and I have to be together. We _need_ to be together. We need each other like people need air to breathe.

“It’s not always gonna be easy because Mama and I don’t live in the same house. I hope that changes one day, but we just have to live with it for now. The only thing that is important is that I am your father and that I love you, more than anything in the whole world… except your mother, of course. I love you in a different way than I love her, but I love you all the more because of you being a part of her. She and I made you together, because we love each other, and that makes you so very special to me. 

“This is her, right here...”

Smiling, Jerry took a framed photo off the end table and held it in front of the baby’s face.

“Elizabeth Giordano. Isn’t that a pretty name? Libby for short. Libs for even shorter.

“This is when she and I went to New York the year before last… before you were even thought of. See how beautiful she is? We were walking through Central Park, toward Strawberry Fields, and I wanted a photo of her with the changing leaves. She was so happy that day. 

“Look at her, Nicky... You and I are the luckiest guys in the whole world because that lady right there is _ours_. My love and your mommy... Now, right now she might just seem like a milk machine to you, but she is so much more than that. You’ll realize it, as you get older… I love her so much and I’ve loved her for such a long time. 

“I used to watch her from my desk as she walked around the office and I’d think about how beautiful she was. I was her boss then. Well, I’m still her boss at the office. She’s the boss in our life, but that’s not important. Anyway, I never told her, though, because she was married to that dolt and all, but once in awhile I couldn’t help myself… She’d look especially beautiful one day and so I’d say something about how she looked nice or that the color she was wearing complimented her eyes or her hair. Nothing like what I really wanted to say, mind you, but something nice. 

“When I would say these things, her skin would turn the prettiest shade of pink and she would look almost shocked. At first I thought she was surprised that I would say it, but I started realizing that she was shocked that anyone even _thought_ that about her. It was like she didn’t _know_ how beautiful she was - as if no one ever told her! Now I know that Drew never did and, actually, would tell her the opposite – the fool – but I didn’t know that then. Her reaction really shocked me, Nicky, because I knew that if I ever had a woman like her, I would tell every single day how perfect she was. I would never want her to doubt it for a second.

“Now, here’s the thing, Nicky, and you need to know this stuff if you want to make a good impression on the person you love, people like to hear nice things about themselves, even if they never admit it to anyone. It feels good to be told nice things and, if you love someone, you want them to feel good all the time.

“So, because I loved your mom so much and I wanted her to feel good about herself, I started adding more compliments here and there, so she’d actually know what a beauty she was. Is. You know what I mean... 

“Anyway, eventually, she stopped looking dumbfounded whenever I said something nice to her and actually started smiling. She still blushed, but it wasn’t in surprise anymore. She started liking the positive feedback, I guess, and she’d start doing things that would get her more. If I complimented her on how she was wearing her hair, she’d wear that way again and again. If I said she looked nice in a particular color, she’d start wearing every piece of clothing she had in that color – even borrowing some things from your sisters, I think.

“One time, I told her she looked good in this green suit of hers – you probably haven’t seen it yet, because she only wears it for work stuff. Anyway, it’s my favorite, because it makes her hair look so red and don’t even get me started on the low neckline- And she said, off-handedly, that it was the only thing she had in that color. A couple of days later, I picked her up a gift certificate from this women’s clothing store that I knew didn’t sell things for teenagers, so she wouldn’t give it to the girls. Your mommy’s like that, just so you know. She’s always thinking about other people and never about herself so, sometimes, I have to find a way around that so she gets something that’s just for her. 

“In any case, I told her a client had sent it and, since I didn’t have a wife or a girlfriend, she’s the only one who I could think of to give it to. She looked surprised that I gave it to her and thanked me. She must have gone after work because, the next day, she walked in wearing this emerald green jumpsuit that was so form-fitting that it showed off the shape of her-”

Jerry caught himself and looked down at his baby son, who stared up at him with a look that Jerry interpreted to be judgmental.

“Never mind about that. Those are special thoughts Papa has about Mama and I don’t want to give you an Oedipus complex right off the bat… although you’re being breastfed, so I don’t think you’ll be able to avoid that.

“Anyway, your mother is gorgeous, truly gorgeous. She’s one of those women who is still going to be hot when she’s 70 and there will be people who are warm for her form - especially me, I’ll have you know… I’m gonna be a dirty old man, chasing her around with my walker, trying to lift her skirt, with my cane- Wait- Those are more bad Papa thoughts…

“You’re lucky, Nicky, because you take after her. You got those eyes of hers and her nose, thankfully. You wouldn’t have wanted to have this nose of mine. Mama’s got a nose on her, too, but hers is beautiful and has character. Mine just points toward the ground. 

“You’ve got some good looking siblings and they didn’t get those good looks from Drew. They all came from your mom. You look more like her than any of them, so you aren’t gonna have any problems when it comes to getting a girlfriend… or a boyfriend. Or whatever.

Jerry ran his hand over the top of the baby’s head, stroking the tiny amount of dark hair he had there.

“I wanna talk to you, Nicky, man to… kid… Your mom and I have talked about this a lot and we want you to know that our number one priority is you having the happiest life possible. Mommy and I both had parents who forced us into things we didn’t want and we don’t want that for you at all. We love you so much, little man. Wait- I probably shouldn’t call you that, cause Mom and I agreed that we don’t want to force any stereotypes on you. I’m sorry. It’s just a habit, but I promise that I’ll get better. It just might take some time.

“We plan on doing whatever we can to make all of your dreams come true and we don’t want you to ever be afraid to come to us about anything. We want you to live exactly the life you want and that goes for religion, career, sexual orientation or anything at all. How does that sound to you?”

Nicky’s face screwed up and he started to whimper.

“Hey, don’t cry, baby...” Jerry said, cuddling him closely. “What’s the matter? Do you need a fresh diaper?”

Cradling his son in his arm, Jerry stood up and went over to the diaper bag. He opened it and, with one hand, turned it over, dumping it’s contents onto the couch. The package of baby wipes tumbled to the ground and Jerry bent to pick them up. Rising quickly, his elbow hit the end table and the large vase of flowers immediately toppled onto the couch, soaking all the items that had come from the diaper bag.

Jerry cursed and looked at Nicky. He imagined a smirk on the baby’s face.

“Well, Nicky… I hope you don’t have a loaded diaper, because we don’t have anymore. Your mommy told me to pick up a fresh package yesterday, but they’re down in the car and I can’t leave you alone while I go get them. It’s going to have to wait until Mom wakes up, so we’re gonna have to improvise…”

Jerry rummaged through the remaining contents of the diaper bag, finding nothing that wasn’t soaked through. When the volume of Nicky’s cries began increasing, Jerry headed toward the laundry room. He knew he couldn’t go into the bedroom to find something, because the sound of the baby’s increasingly louder sobs were bound to wake Libby and, at this point, she was barely 20 minutes into her nap.

When Jerry glanced at the washer and dryer, he noticed both were empty and that the only clothing that was in the room was a short stack of T-shirts, folded and sitting on top of the dryer. His son suddenly let out a wail and Jerry grabbed the first shirt he saw and raced back to the living room, trying to get Nicky as far out of earshot as possible.

“What’re you doing, Nicky?! Your mom needs her rest. Let’s let her sleep, huh?”

He set the child on the couch and quickly began trying to divest him of the many layers of clothes, in order to get him out of his soiled diaper as soon as humanly possible.

“Do Papa a favor, kiddo, and please only have peed. _Please_. I love you more than my life and would give you the blood from my veins, but I do _not_ feel like having to change a poopy diaper when I am about 20 minutes away from eating pizza with my _hands_. I know your mom doesn’t care about stuff like that, but she’s braver than me and- Oh, thank you, baby…”

Jerry was relieved to see that his son’s diaper was only wet, especially considering he had forgotten to place any sort of barrier between the couch and the baby’s bare bottom. Happily, he reached for the shirt he had taken from the laundry room.

“Oh Jesus...” he sighed, when he realized he was holding Libby’s ‘Chicago Cubs’ T-shirt.

“Nicky… You have to promise your old man _not_ to get this dirty. This is Mama’s _favorite_. She wears it all the time – she sleeps in it and she wears it when she wants to relax. She says there’s no more comfortable shirt on earth than this one. I got it for her when we went to New York and the Mets were playing the Cubbies and she’ll kill me if- Ah-!”

As soon as the spray of urine hit Jerry, he furiously wiped at his face, using the shirt. Realizing what he had done, he looked at his son, who gazed at him with huge, innocent eyes.

“Oh Nicky… You are killing me, kid. You've got me running around like a mashugana. When your mother sees this… Damn.”

Pulling out one of the wet wipes, he cleaned the baby, before wrapping his lower half in the giant shirt. 

“You’re gonna have to wear it like a gunny sack, because it’s way too big to try to wear as a diaper. Sorry… Ok, don’t cry, baby… What’s the matter with you?”

As the Nicky started to fuss, Jerry lifted him back up from the couch and cradled him in his arms, cooing to him. Immediately, the infant turned his face towards his father’s chest and began rooting, looking for a breast.

“Ah… That’s what you want, huh? I’m afraid I can’t help you there, Nicky. You’re only going to get that from one person and I guess you’re not willing to wait until she wakes up, huh? Ok, then, let’s go...”

Admitting defeat, Jerry carried the baby down the hall, to the bedroom. Slowly and quietly, he opened the door.

On the side of the bed closest to the door, Libby was lying on her side, in a fetal position, facing him. Her dark hair was stark against the white pillow and her mouth was slightly open, indicating that she was in a deep sleep. 

Jerry sighed sadly, hating to have to wake her.

Libby had taken off most of her clothes and was sleeping in a pair of pink cotton underwear and a tank top. Her maternity bra had been removed, most likely for comfort, and her nipples, which had darkened considerably during her pregnancy, were plainly visible through the stark white shirt. The sight of them sparked an idea.

Jerry laid the baby on the bed and tried to figure out the best way to go about getting his son fed, without having to wake his mother to do it.

He reached over and tried to gently tug down the neckline of her shirt, but she was positioned in such a way that her arm prevented the fabric from having any give… not to mention the fact that her swollen, post-pregnancy breasts had stretched the poor fabric to it’s full capacity and there was no way it was going to allow itself to be stretched even one more inch. 

Jerry admitted to himself that pulling her shirt upwards was the only way.

“How do you think we’re gonna manage this, Nicky?” he whispered, to his son.

His son responded with wide eyes and silence.

Gingerly, Jerry tried to maneuver her arm, pushing it out onto the other side of her body. As soon as he let go of it, Libby shifted and pulled it back against her. Jerry shook his head, in frustration. He tried tenderly pressing on her shoulder, in order to get her to lie on her back, but she didn’t comply.

Sighing, Jerry went around to the other side of the bed and stared at Libby’s sleeping form. Unable to help himself, he took a much longer moment than necessary to gaze at her panty-clad bottom. It had always been one of his favorite of her body parts and, since her pregnancy, in had increased to a size that pleased him considerably. Jerry wanted nothing more at that moment than to curl up next to Libby and run his hand over her full posterior, but he knew that now was not the time… especially under the accusatory gaze of his six-week-old son.

“Alright, alright!” he said to his baby, in a whisper.

Careful not to shake the bed, Jerry sat down and, as tenderly as possible, trailed the tips of his fingers across the back of Libby’s knees. It was one of the few places on her body where she was ticklish, but Jerry hoped that it was not so much that it would cause her to awaken. Thankfully, it didn’t.

Jerry froze as Libby shifted onto her back, with a slight groan, pressing the back of her legs against the bed, in order to stop the offending feeling. As soon as she relaxed enough that her breathing once again became deep and even, he went back to work.

He took the hem of Libby’s shirt and, slowly pushed it upward, careful not to wake her. When the fabric, reached the bottom of her breasts, it gave some resistance. Carefully, Jerry pushed his hand under the shirt and used the flat of his palm to keep the fabric from touching her skin. While keeping his eyes on her face, he gently pushed the shirt upward, until he felt the _plunk_ of one heavy, milk-filled breast falling out of it. Carefully, he released the shirt.

Feeling triumphant, Jerry reached over and took Nicky’s hand, using his tiny palm to high-five with his.

He lifted Nicky up and tried to position him at an angle that his mouth could reach his mother’s breast. When Nicky’s tiny head lolled forward, Jerry panicked and pulled him back, supporting his neck and head.

“What’re you doin’ to me, Nicky?” he said, in a hushed tone. “Your mom’s gonna murder me if I hurt you. You don’t know her that well, but _trust_ me on that.”

Holding the baby with one hand, he began pulling the comforter into a pile, to create some support for Nicky. Once he had built a soft little pedestal, he maneuvered the child onto it, placing Nicky’s mouth close to Libby’s nipple. The baby immediately latched onto it and began nursing but, when Jerry released him, the pile of blankets sunk under Nicky’s weight, causing the nipple to be pulled from his mouth, with a _pop_.

Instantly, Nicky began to whimper. Jerry panicked and stuck the tiniest tip of his finger into his son’s mouth, to quiet him. The baby immediately began sucking on it, hungrily, and Jerry quickly glanced up at Libby’s face. He sent up a silent prayer to whatever god was listening that she was still sleeping.

“We’ve gotta work something out, kid,” he whispered, to the baby. “I forgot your pacifier in the other room and I'll wake Mom if I try to get it now. Plus, we’ve gotta get some food in you and I don’t want to wake your mom to do it.”

Giving a sideways look to her breast, Jerry noticed that a drop of milk had formed and was hanging from the tip of her nipple. With less than a millisecond of thought, he reached with the finger that wasn’t in his child’s mouth and swept the drop onto his fingertip. Quickly, he replaced the tip of the finger in Nicky’s mouth with the one that had the drop of milk. The baby began trying to feed with even more vigor, trying in vain to draw sustenance from the warm flesh that was in his mouth.

As Libby’s breast continued to leak, Jerry repeated the action several more times. Use finger to get drop of milk, replace finger in baby’s mouth, repeat. 

He knew this couldn’t go on and that his poor little boy had to eat before he started wailing. Moving his free hand under the baby and elevating him a bit, in an attempt to get him to his mother’s breast, Jerry kept the tip of his pinky finger in Nicky’s mouth. He noticed that there was another drop of milk hanging like a pendulum from Libby’s nipple, threatening to fall on the bed. He used his thumb to swipe at the drop, which immediately began running down his hand. Instinctively, and without a second of thought, Jerry shot out his tongue and began licking upwards, trying to prevent the drop from hitting the clean sheets. He quickly lapped at the trail the milk had left and marveling at the sweetness of the flavor. He didn’t know what he had expected breast milk to taste like but it wasn’t li-

“Jerry... what the _hell_ are you doing?”


End file.
